Method of producing alpha contoured surface on stone



E. A. CHASE METHOD OF PRODUCING A CONTOURED SURFACE ON STON Filed April4. 1927 Jan. 5, 1932.

a mf-M Patented Jan. 5, 1.932

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RLRoY A.

CHASE, or NQR'THRTRLD, VERMONT, AssIGNoR To Rocx or AGES coRroRA- TroN,or BURLINGTON, VERMONT, A CORPORATION or VERMONT `lVIE'II-IIOD'OFPRDUCINGA CONTOURED SURFACE 0N STONE Application yfiled April 4, 1927.

This invention relates to a method of producing an ornamental surface ona block of granite or other similar stone, in which the figure or designprojects from a sunken background. f

The general object of my invention is'to provide a method by rwhich sucha design may be easily and quickly produced, vwhile at the same time acontoured figure results, ,lohaving a surface which contrasts sharplywith the background andother adjacent portions of the stone.

With this general object in View an important feature of my inventionrelates to .-16 certain methods of production which enable me to producea contoured figure without the use of hand cutting tools. A furtherfeature relates to the use of certain materials in certain operationsVby which a strongly con- Y I2.0 trastedsurface effect is achieved.

Y 'A My invention further relates to certain associationsV of methodsteps, which will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointedont in the appended claims.

c S5 preferred form of the invention is shown the drawings in whichFig'. 1 is a plan view of a portion of a granite block and showing thefirst step of my improved process;

F i'gfs. 2', 3, 4l and 5 are similar views show- Of successive vsteps inthe process;

Figs. 1a to 5@L inclusive are detail sectional views taken along thevlines 12-1a to 5---5a respectively in Figs. 1 to 5;

'Fig'. 6 is a detail sectional view, showing al further step in myimproved process;

Fig. 7 is a plan view showing the final step and thel finished product;and

v Fig. 7a, isa detail sectional view taken along the line 7a7ai`n Fig-7.c

Referring to the drawings, I will now describe my improved method ofproducing a contoured and contrasting surface 0n a granite block orother similar stone.

I rst provide a 'block of stone S having a finished or polished vsurfaceon oneY face thereof. I then apply a layer 10 of sandresisting compound,such as a special glue, to

the vfinished surface of the stone S and I y cut-out or stencil thedesign' 11 from the layer Serial No. 180,800.

l0, this step of the process being indicated in Figs. l and la.

I then direct a very tine stream or blast of abrasive material 12 (F ig.2a) through a small nozzle against the exposed design 11 on the stone S,and by such application cut away the stone within the outlined design,giving the same a desired contour as indicated in Figs. 2 and 2B.

. In the preferred development of my invention, I use a crushed steelhaving tine angular grains as the abrasive material to form the streamor jet 12. This crushed steel cuts more rapidly than the usual sandblast and moreover produces a surface of a sharply contrasting coloreffect, the surface ap earing much lighter than a surface pro uced bythe use of sand. While I preferably use the crushed steel for thereasons above stated, veryuseful results may be attained by the use ofsand or carborundum, and my invention is not limited to the use of aarticular abrasive except as set forth in specific claims. i After thefigure has been out to a desired contour, I re-surface the figure withthe sandresisting compound and stencil the outline of the figure andsuch other portions as are to be cut deeply below the surface of thedesigna This step of the process is illustrated in Figs. 3 and 3a,showing the outline of the figure and the veins of the leaves cutthrough y the newly applied compound 13 on the face of the design.

I then apply a blast of sand or carborundum to the design, cutting theoutline 14 and veins 15 to a substantial depth, as indicated in Figs. 4anc fra. The compound is then removed frein the background of thedesign, as indicated at 16 in Figs. 5 and 53', and the sand blast isapplied toV cut the background to a substantial depth, as indicated at17 in Fig. 61. If a plain 'background is desired, this sand blastingoperation will be continued until the Ybackground is at'the full desireddepth. If, however, a contrasting background is desired, a perforatedmetal screen of suitable design is next laid upon the face of the workin the path' of the sand blast and the sand blast is then directedthrough the screen, producing a diversified background as indicated at18 inFigs.V 7 and 7a.

The compound is then removed from the face of the design, as indicatedat 20 in Fig. 7 The figure then stands out sharply from the background,andthe contoured surface of the figure is particularly pleasing.- Whenthe crushed steel abrasive is used, the surface of the figure is alsomuch lighter than the background, and the contrast is more effective.v

It will be seen that I am able to produce a contoured figure entirely bythe use of a blast of abrasive, thus greatly reducing the cost over theprevious procedure involving the use of hand'cutting tools. #Also byusing'a specially adapted abrasive, I simultaneously provide thecontoured ligure with a sharplycontrasting` color eHect. The steelabrasive may, if desired, be in the form of steel shot instead ofcrushed steel grains, the effect'thereof being substantially the sameexcept for a difference iii-cutting speed.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, l do Vnotwish tobe limited to thel details herein disclosed otherwise than as setforthl in the claims, but vwhat I claim is i l. `The method ofornamenting stone which consists in coating a finished stone surf facewitha layer vof sand-resistingcompound, with a figure of the designexposedtherethrough, shaping the exposed figure by direct application ofa stream of abrasive to saidexposed figure to forma desired contourthereon, re-coating the contoured ligure, removing the compound from thebackground portion of the surface, and sand-blasting the background to adesired depth while said contoured surface is protected by said com- 40pound. ,Y

2. The method of ornamenting stone which consists in coating a finishedstone surface with a layer of sand-resisting pompound, with a figure ofthe design exposed therethrough, shaping the exposed figure by directapplication of a'stream of steel abrasive to said exposed ligure to forma desired contour of contrasting color elfect thereon, 15e-coating thecontoured figure, removing the compound from the background portion ofVthe surface, and sand-blasting the background to a desired depth Whilesaid contoured surface is protected by said compound.

3. The method of ornamenting ystone which consists in coating a nishedstone surface with a layer of sand-resisting compound, removing th'ecompound from a ligure of the design, shaping the stencilled figure byapplying a stream of abrasive to the exposed surface thereof to form adesired contour thereon, re-coating the contoured figure, stencillingthe outlines of the design therein, sand blasting said outlines,removing the compound from the background portion of the surface, andsand-blasting the background to a desired depth.

4:. The method of ornamenting stone which consists in coating a finishedstone surface with a layer of sand-resisting compound, removing thecompound from a figure of the design, shaping the stencilled figure byapplying a stream of steel abrasive to the exposed surfacetliereof -toform a desired con-- tour thereon, Yre-coatirig the contoured iigure,stencilling the outlines lof the design therein, sand' blastingsaidoutlines, removing the compound from the background portionvof thesurface,and sand blasting the background to a, desired depth. Y

5. The method of ornanienting stone which consists in coating a finishedstonesurface with a layerof sand-resistingcompound, removing the"compound from a figure of the design, shaping the stencilled figure byapplying a stream jof abrasiveto theexposed surfacethereof to form adesired contour thereon, re-coatingthe contoured ligure, sten- ,cillingthe outlines of the design therein, sand blasting said outlines,removing the .compoundv fromV the background portion of the surface,sand blasting the background toa; desired depth, applying a'screen overthe surfacegof said design, and sand blasting said background throughsaid vscreen to its full depth.` i l l 6. Themethod of forming'sandblast carvingpresenting a relief effect consisting in applying a coatingto the'surface of the stone, applying flowers or other configurations tothe stone, cutting the outline of the flowers and removingtheCoating'within the outline, sand blasting a sinkagein the exposed stone,

recoating theV sinkag'e, cutting out and removc ing a narrow portionaround the outer edge of the -flowers, sand blasting the sinkage in saidnarrow outline, removing the remaining coating and sand blasting thebackground.

7. The method of vsand blast car'vingincluding coatinga stone, removingthe vcoating at the pointswhere a sinkage is desired, sand blasting thestone at the place the coating has been removed, said sand blastingbeing continued until the sinkage has been formed of the proper depthand shape, recoating the sinkage removing' a. narrowY strip of coatingadjacent the outer edge ofsaidsinkage, sand blasting the stone exposedby removing. said narrow strip, removing the remaining coating, andthensand blasting the background vbetween, said sinkage. j

8. The method of sand blast carving including the coating ofv a piece ofstoneto be age is tobe produced,'sand blasting the stone at the partswhere the coating has been removed until the desired sinkage has beenprorcarved,removing the coating where the sinking being done in two staes, the first being to uncover and sand b ast a depression around thesinkage and the second being to uncover and sand blast the surfaceoutside of .and around said depression.

9. The method of sand blast carving including sand blasting a sinkage tosecure a desired configuration, sand blasting a vertical wall around theouter edge of the sinkage, and finally sand blasting all of thebackground around the sinkage.

10. A sand blast carving formed integral throughout having a pittedbackground, and a design formed thereon in relief and having the facethereof formed with a sinkage of a contour to disclose the design, saidface being pitted, the side walls of said design being substantiallyperpendicular to the background and said side Walls extending to thebackground and substantially following the contour of said reliefdesign.

l1. A sand blast carving formed integral throughout having a pittedbackground, and a pitted design formed thereon in relief and having theface of the design formed with a sinkage of a contour to disclose thedesign,

. the side walls of said design being substantially perpendicular to thebackground, the perpendicular face `of said side walls following thecontour of said relief design.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto afHXed my signature.

ELROY A. CHASE.

